Herceptin and Chemotherapy

Herceptin (chemical name: trastuzumab) and chemotherapy are two different kinds of medicines that are both very effective against stage II, III, and IV HER2-positive breast cancer. Read more about how Herceptin after chemotherapy can reduce risk of recurrence. They each work in different ways, and they also work very well together or one after the other. A study looked at the use of both treatments in women who have HER2-positive cancer. Learn more about research on Herceptin and chemotherapy.

Herceptin is called a targeted therapy because it targets breast cancers that make too much of the HER2/neu gene or HER2 protein. These cancers are called HER2-positive. Herceptin mainly targets HER2-positive cancer cells and leaves most normal cells alone.

Many different chemotherapy drugs can be given together with Herceptin or before or after Herceptin, including:

• Taxotere (chemical name: docetaxel)
• Taxol (chemical name: paclitaxel)
• 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
• Xeloda (chemical name: capecitabine)
• Navelbine (chemical name: vinorelbine)
• Gemzar (chemical name: gemcitabine)
• Cytoxan (chemical name: cyclophosphamide)

Adriamycin (chemical name: doxorubicin) and epirubicin (brand name: Ellence) are given before or after Herceptin (not in combination).

Most of these medicines kill cancer cells by interfering with cancer cell growth and repair. But because chemotherapy can also affect normal cells, it causes more side effects than Herceptin.

Herceptin and chemotherapy are very effective in women with metastatic and earlier stages of HER2-positive breast cancer. Together, they can:

• help reduce and get rid of cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body
• shrink a medium to large-sized cancer in the breast before surgery
• lower the risk of cancer coming back after surgery in women with medium-sized cancers (two centimeters or greater), or if lymph nodes are involved (no matter what size the cancer is)

Herceptin and chemotherapy are used together in many different ways, depending on your stage of disease, treatments you've already had, how you respond to ongoing therapy, your overall medical condition, and personal considerations.